New Eyes
by TryRunAgainstTheWind
Summary: Havok, Charles and the others are let to set up the academy alone. Together, they recruit new students, and each take a journey of accetance and loss, realising the neccesity of friendship, and sometimes even love.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first ever x men fanfic,**

**and is set directly after X men first class, which is probably the best prequel ever.**

**Set firstly in Alex/Havok's POV. who know's who will be next? :)**

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><p>I pushed the professor down the garden path. The day was rimy; clouds gathering and a dampness seeping from every corner. I missed America.<p>

"Are you ok, Professor?" I asked, shoving my hands deep inside my pockets.

"I'm fine, thank you Alex. This wheelchair will indeed take some getting used to though…" He trailed off as Moira's frame disappeared into the fog.

"She'll be back." I tried to comfort him, but just ended up sounding like a pervy robot.

"That's very optimistic of you. Well, I can always hope I suppose." He lapsed into silence.

"What was it you'd like to talk to me about Charles?" We came to a fountain, and I sat on a surrounding bench, facing him.

"I won't be around for the next few days, and I need you to just not fight with everyone, or bicker, or provoke." He stared at me very seriously.

I rolled my eyes. This is what he wanted to talk about?

_Yes, it is Alex_. His voice spoke in my head. That always gave me the creeps. _Please be kind to each other. There will be other mutants arriving, and I would prefer it if they came to a peaceful environment._

"Don't think peace is my thing." I muttered.

"Would you rather go back to solitary confinement?" He didn't speak harshly, but there was an edge of sharpness in his voice. I was flooded with memories of quietness, of nothingness and empty space. Hours and hours of silence, hours of nothingness folding in on each other as it became an innumerable amount of time. All to be heard was my breath; in, out. In, out…

I clamped my mouth into a grimace. "I'll behave."

"Thank you." His shoulders sagged as he looked at the countryside below. "Now, I must be off. I can see you're wondering what I'll be doing, and it's nothing serious. Just research. But when I come back, we're going mutant hunting." His face spread out into a grin, and he turned around. I smiled and watched him roll back down the path.

"Oh and Alex," He called, halfway towards the house.

I looked up at his cleanly shaven face. "Keep practising. Don't let it control you." And he wheeled away, without a backwards glance.

I scratched my head and continued to look at the water spurting from the weathered marble.

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><p>"Give me the remote or I will set you on fire." I glared at Hank. He chortled and sniggered as I tried to snatch it off him. It was no use, he was far too big. "<em>Now<em>." I growled.

"Alright you prissy son of-" He didn't get any further before I grabbed the remote and glowered at the television screen. Hank, Sean and I were having dinner and watching a nonsensical program. We sat around a glowing fire, eating toast and milk. Not much of a dinner, but none of us knew how to cook.

"The tv is really terrible over here." I grumbled.

"You get used to it. Sometimes, it's even funny." Sean said. He was lying upside down on the couch, staring blank faced at the screen.

"That's unlikely." Hank muttered. We both ignored him. He was in a foul mood because his girlfriend left him to join some crazy cult. You wanted to feel bad for him, but he made it impossible by being such a douche all the time. "I'm going for a walk." He stalked out of the room.

We watched him leave with indifference. I sat next to Sean, who was tracing patterns in his trousers.

"You're not leaving, are you?" He asked, glancing up, his ginger hair flopping.

"No," I sighed. "This is the only home I have. What about you?" I poked him in the back.

"Nope. My shite pick up lines and shocking sense of navigation means I'll be staying here for the time being." He let his head fall back to the ground.

"How are you not dizzy?" I asked.

"I never said I wasn't." He replied. Now that I look at him, his face had turned an unnatural shade of red…

"We have a problem." Hank burst through the door.

I was on my feet like lightning. "What? What is it?"

"We're out of bread and milk. And all food for that matter."

"_That's_ the problem?" Sean exclaimed, barely controlling his irritation.

"Well, then someone should obviously go get some, unless you would like to starve." I said rolling my eyes at Hank.

"I vote you." Hank sneered. I ignored him.

"Actually, sorry Alex, but I agree with him." Sean looked away sheepishly.

"What? Why me?" I frowned.

"Because I'm big, and blue, and hairy."

"And my social skills are crap." Sean shrugged.

I groaned. "For the love of… Fine. Where does Charles keep the money?"

"In the top left hand cupboard, in the kitchen." Hank said.

I jogged to the kitchen and grabbed some random notes, hoping I could get food to last for a few days.

"See you in a while." I popped my head around the door. Sean was standing by the door and Hank was lying down on the sofa.

It was drizzling. I ran to the car and started the engine. It was quite a modern model, and I sped down the lane. There was a village a few miles out, but I liked to drive fast, so I was at the local grocer's in only fifteen minutes.

I don't think I'd ever shopped for food before, but it didn't look too hard. Washing powder, milk, bread, carrots, beans, food I liked. After I'd taken at least six massive bars of chocolate and coca cola, I paid the woman at the counter. Her hair was slick with hairspray, and her face discoloured from high blood pressure.

Outside, there was a very skinny boy with long, raggedy blonde hair. He was sopping wet, and his face was tucked into his neck. His little cap sat next to him. I dropped a few coins into it without anybody noticing, and kept on my way. I didn't see him stir, or his glass eyes follow my departing figure.

I didn't even hear him follow me.

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><p><strong>Slow first chapter...<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the people that reviewed! You really made my day :)**

**Here's chapter 2, hope you like it.**

**Review, and tell me what you think.**

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><p>As evening invaded, the rain began to lash. I arrived back at the academy, and made my way back inside.<p>

Which was when I heard the hissing; a low, harsh noise that sent a chill up my spine. I swivelled around and looked below me at the distant countryside. All there was to see was rapid darkness and wet moss. My hood had fallen off my hair, and I felt my face being drenched by the rain.

The hiss faded, and with a final wary glance, I went back inside.

"You look _very_ wet." Sean said, glancing at me.

"Really? I never noticed." I replied wearily, sitting next to the fire. I was huddled there for fifteen minutes before I stopped shivering and was able to change into dry clean clothes. I emptied the food onto the counter, and let Hank and Sean deal with putting it away.

The hissing echoed through the corridors; mocking and menacing, following me as I passed through each room. When I felt so uncomfortable that it was hard to even look out the window, I went to bed.

I dreamt I had been thrown into an icy pool, and was thrashing about frantically. It was not the lack of air that woke me, but because of the freeing temperature. All the while a cackling half whisper laughed in my ear…

I woke up with a start. Something was wrong. I jumped out of my bed, and throwing on jacket, ran downstairs. I had to wash the confusion and suspicion away. I flung open the front door and stood outside in the rain. I was barefoot and disorientated, but that didn't stop me seeing the figure.

I did nothing for a few minutes, just watched them. They were hunched over, shaking. A smallish person by the looks of it.

"What are you doing here?" I shouted. They didn't do or say anything.

With an irritated sigh, I took a few steps towards them.

"Who are you?" I asked, close enough now to see the poor clothes they had, and the grime smeared all over their hat.

"The more important question…" They whispered. "Is who are _you_?"

"That has nothing to do with why you are here." I said angrily.

"It has everything to do with my presence," They croaked. "As you are like me. _Different…_"

"Show me your face." I said.

The person pulled off their hat, and a head of haggard blonde hair hung in clumps. I suppressed a gasp. It was the boy who had been sitting outside the grocer's. His eyes were just black, no iris or pupil, and his face was slender and angular…

"You're a girl?"

"Glad you finally noticed." Her whisper was acidic.

"What's your name?"

"Phoebe. But you have not told me who _you_ are."

"I am Alex. How did you know I was… different?" I said, deeply suspicious of this homeless girl.

"Don't know. Just knew you were. You were just leaking your abnormality. I had only ever met one other before… and they killed her. Right in front of me." Her face darkened.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated, anxious.

"I followed you. You were clean and well fed and had money. I couldn't just stay on the curb and starve to death."

"I realise that," I internally rolled my eyes. "But what were you expecting when you decided to stalk me?"

Before she could answer, Hank interrupted and shouted. "Jesus! What the hell are you doing out here? Are you talking to yourself? Did you know that that is the first symptom of dementia-"

"Shh!" I glared. I turned around to look at her, but she was gone. I took a step backwards, and glanced in every direction looking for her.

"Well? It's _four o'clock_ in the morning Alex." I could see him seething.

"Go back inside." I said. Hank blinked, but with a long list of swear words, retreated inside.

I took a step back, and checked behind me. She was standing there, a silhouette against the porch.

"How many of you are there?" She demanded.

"Mind your own business!"

"Tell me." She looked at me with such intensity, I couldn't_ not_ tell her…

"There are four of us. One of us is away, researching." I grumbled. "Satisfied?"

"No. I want to meet you. All of you." She said. Was that… hope in her voice?

"How do I know you're not a spy?" I said, edgy.

"Do I look like a spy?" She said sceptically.

"'Spose not," I sighed. She didn't look _too_ bad. And she was one of us anyway. A mutant, as per usual, fleeing from the humans. "Fine then. Come in."

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><p>I was woken by furry arms, and hot breath.<p>

"Sean? Get up you idiot!" Hank shook me. I groaned.

"Aww… I thought you were a puppy-"

"Alex brought a mutant in."

That caught my attention. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Shit! Where'd he find them?"

"It's a she. And she followed him home." Hank made a wary face.

"Ok," I threw on a t shirt. "Random." I glanced at the clock. It winked in the darkness: _4:18_. I ran a tired hand over my face, and followed Hank down the stairs. Alex was waiting for us, along with a soggy lump, which I assumed was the girl.

"Alex," I shook my head. "How did you pick up a girl after only two days?"

He frowned. "She followed me home," He didn't look particularly pleased of that fact. "Phoebe, this is Hank," He gestured at the hairy man. "And this is Sean." He pointed at me. She lifted her head and stared right _through me_. Her eyes were black holes in a small, pale face.

I swallowed. "Nice to meet you." I glanced at Alex uncertainly.

He shrugged. "And you." She whispered.

I said the first thing that came to mind. "You need a bath."

Alex and Hank shot me glares, and 'are you crazy?' glances.

"I most certainly do." She made a rasping noise, which was actually her chuckling.

"Er… would you _like_ a bath?" Alex asked. Her eyes were on the ground, her head bent.

"Yes, that would be very good of you."

"Ok then." Hank said. "Why don't you go run one, Sean, seeing as you're passing comments so easily tonight."

"Fine, I will." I said, indifferent.

"I'll get you some clothes." Alex said, hurrying off to the hot press, trying to avoid awkward conversation. Lucky him…

"Come on, so." I said to her silent face. She walked after me, up the stairs. I could hear her clothes squelching against the wooden floors. I turned on the wan light and twisted the hot taps. They blasted heat and steam, and the room was soon full of warm air.

She took her hat off, and muddy locks spilled out. Her face was bloody and gaunt.

"What is it that makes you different?" She whispered, her eyes two chips of soot. The bath was half full, and I could feel my hair sticking to my face; the colour of my hair and the blush that was seeping down my neck clashed painfully.

"Well, I make high frequency sound waves. It works best in water. I suppose you could say I'm a bit like a sea-bat."

"Could you show me?"

"I suppose," I pursed my lips. "Put your hands over your ears."

She did, and I let the small muscle in my throat flex. Little ripples coursed through the water of the bath, which was almost to the brim. I could hear the glass of the window shaking and a big crack formed.

"Whoops," I muttered.

"Thank you." She said.

I raised an eyebrow, but nodded, and turned the taps till they stopped. "Stay in as long as you want. There'll be clothes and towels and stuff outside the door when you're done."

"Goodbye, Sean." She smiled. It was kind of twisted oddly, like she hadn't smiled in a long time, and held something secretive, but a smile nonetheless.

"Bye." I bit my lip and left her alone in the bathroom. I closed the door and tried to cool my face, to no avail. That was the closest thing to having an actual conversation with a girl I'd ever had.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to those who reviewed! You put a smile on my face.**

**Here is chapter 3 .**

**Please review and tell me what you think :)**

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><p>You could taste the tension in the air. It had been three hours and she hadn't come down.<p>

"I think you should check on her." Alex said at last, breaking the silence.

"I will not! You check." I replied indignantly.

"Well, I don't think she would appreciate a big blue guy barging in on her in the bath." Hank contributed. I shot him an exasperated sigh. That excuse was getting way too old.

"Since you found her, you can check." I said to Alex.

"First of all I didn't _find_ her she _followed_ me. And second of all-"

A raspy cough cut him off mid sentence. Phoebe was standing by the door in tracksuit pants and a hoodie, which were at least three sizes too big for her.

"Oh! Hello." Hank said, surprised. Alex blushed and glowered out the window.

"Feeling better?" I asked her. She nodded, and sat next to the fire. It danced in the reflection of her eyes. I never noticed how _long_ girls' eyelashes were. Her head turned mechanically and quickly, and she looked at me with calculating serenity.

It scared me just a bit.

"Keep her company." Hank nodded at Phoebe. I raised an eyebrow. "I have to go and ring Charles, and Alex is a social pariah."

"Thank you, Hank. And you are just a _gem_ yourself-" Before Alex could finish his retort, Beast walked out of the room.

"Well then. Would you… eh, like some food or something?" I didn't look her in the face, but I could feel her heavy stare.

"I would appreciate that, thank you."

"Righto so. Follow me." I opened the door. She stepped in front of me, and I gave Alex a wary glance. He was standing in the corner, looking out the window. What a surprise. How could someone look out the window for such a long time and not be bored brainless?

I shook off Alex's odd habits, and focused on the route to the kitchen.

"What would you like?"

"Anything. Haven't eaten in three days."

"Oh god! How are you still alive?"

She looked at me quizzically. "I had _water._"

"I know, but I don't think I could survive without breakfast alone."

"Lucky for some." She sighed. I bit my lip, and blushed.

"Here's a pear."

She devoured it in five seconds.

"Chocolate?"

She made a kind of groan, which I assumed meant yes. She gnawed and sucked at the bar like a crazed vampire.

"Slow down there, don't want you to get sick."

"That's not a priority." She mumbled between mouthfuls.

"How old are you?" I blurted out.

"Sixteen."

"What?" My thirteen year old cousin looked older than her.

"The street does things to you."

"I know, but _sixteen_? I mean, you're a year younger than _me_."

I'd obviously used the wrong tone, or said the wrong thing, because she stopped savaging the remnants of the chocolate to glare at me. I'd never seen a glare so intense, her beady, black eyes not helping.

"Don't you mess with me boy," She snarled. "I could kill you in an instant. It would be _very_ unadvisable to get under my skin, never mind insult me."

"Sorry! Sorry." I put my hands up in defence. She was breathing quite heavy, but she broke her awful stare to eat her bar. I twiddled my thumbs until she was finished, which wasn't a very long time. She had another pear, and then some cheese.

"Thank you." She swallowed her last mouthful of cheddar. "I didn't mean to snap," She took a deep breath. "I have problems with my… self-control."

"'Sokay. Never mind."

"I'll leave now." She glanced wistfully around the open, tiled kitchen, and then left the room.

"No, no. You don't have to go." I scrambled after her.

"She _can't_ go." Beast loomed in front of her. She stopped in her tracks. "Charles has not yet been introduced. He'll be here in an hour or so, just to meet you."

She looked like a trapped bird, her eyes flitting back and forth. It reminded me of a tennis game…

"I'll meet your Charles." She finally spoke, but very quietly. "In fact, I'd love to. But if this is a trap, you will all die," There was something in her voice that made it hard _not_ to believe her. "Don't even _think_ I can't." She glared at Beast. That sort of killed all other conversation.

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><p>The words had begun to run into each other. Each one becoming tangled with the next, until I had pages and pages of scribbles. I slumped onto my desk and let my eyes close. How I loved the very brink of sleep, where you are still conscious, but not there; not feeling anything, thinking anything; like pain, or hurt, or Erik…<p>

_Bring! Bring! Bring!_ The phone blared. I groaned and banged the table.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid phone." I muttered. "Hello?"

"Charles?" It was Hank.

"Oh god Hank, what do you want?" I said rubbing my forehead.

"Sorry, Professor, but we have a slight problem."

"And what would that be?"

"Well," He paused. "Alex brought in a stray mutant."

I internally cursed. "Why am I not surprised?" I said under my breath.

"What was that, sorry?"

"Nothing, nothing. Ok, keep them comfortable, be _nice_, hospitable, etc. You know. Ok, I'm on my way. I'll be an hour or so."

"Thank you Prof-" I hung up before Hank could finish his sentence. I was very fond of the three boys, they were excellent men. But sometimes they could be so cynical and crabby, that it was very hard to tolerate their silly bickering.

I wheeled out of my secret office and into the early morning sun. The taxi driver helped me into the car, and sped off. I dreaded what I would find at my manor.

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><p>"The Professor is here!" Sean called from upstairs. I could hear his feet clapping against the wooden floor as he trotted down into the hall.<p>

"Charles." I opened the door with a sigh.

"Good morning Hank." Despite his obvious annoyance on the phone, he seemed in a fairly cheerful mood.

"This way." I walked alongside his rolling wheels. We reached the cosy living room, where the fire was burning on its last ember. Sean was sitting on the couch, Phoebe next to him. Alex was pacing nervously.

"Professor!" He exclaimed when he saw us. "Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to drag another mutant in, it just _happened-_"

"Alex, please. That is not the most important thing at the moment." He smiled at him.

"But-"

"No, the most important thing is our newest arrival." He turned his wheelchair around to face the girl. "Phoebe," He spoke her name with delicacy. "So nice to meet you. I'm Charles." His eyes darted around her face, reading her. Alex slumped onto the armchair.

"How did you know my name?" She asked, suspicious.

"Excuse me! My apologies, I forgot to mention. I can read your mind, dear." He paused for effect. Her eyes stayed fixed. "I can see all of your deepest memories, and fears, and…"

She gasped. Her eyes widened. She had heard him speak to her inside her head.

"Now," the professor continued. "Alex, why don't you get us some tea, and Phoebe and I are going to have a little chat."


End file.
